Pool cover locking mechanism



Dec. 27, 1966 LANGER POOL COVER LOCKING MECHANISM Filed March 50, 1966 I N VEN TO R. J 0: Z w/ize United States Patent Office 3,293,665 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 3,293,665 POOL COVER LOCKING MECHANISM Sol Langer, Scotch Plains, N.J., assignor to Andray Products Inc, East Orange, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Mar. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 538,621 6 Claims. (Cl. 4--172) The present invention relates generally to improvements for pool covers, and more particularly to a pool cover locking mechanism for securing the pool cover, under lock and key, in a position closing the pool.

The increased use and popularity of so-called above ground pools which usually include a base and an upstanding side wall defining the swimming area of the pool has resulted in a corresponding increase in auxiliary equipment for such pools. Pool covers fall in the category of such auxiliary equipment and have taken many varied forms to achieve certain desired results. For example, a pool cover may have a mesh construction to effectively close the pool while permitting air circulation therein, and also usually has any one of innumerable structural features to provide and maintain proper fit of the cover about the pool. Despite this large selection of pool covers and the considerable effort which such a large selection represents, there is still lacking a pool cover or the like which can readily be locked in place over the pool to close the same when swimming time is over.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a locking mechanism integral with a pool cover overcoming the foregoing and other shortcomings of the prior art. Specifically, it is an object to provide a pool cover which can be readily secured with a conventional padlock or the like in a closed position over a pool.

A pool cover locking mechanism demonstrating features and objects of the present invention includes a cable-like structure such as cable, heavy gauge wire, cord, etc. appropriately supported about the marginal edge of the pool cover and operatively associated with a wind-up device or the like which is effective to shorten or pay-out the cable-like structure. More particularly, when fitted over the pool the supported position of the cable-like structure is on the remote side of the rim bounding the open top of the pool. As a consequence, by appropriate adjustment of the size of such cable-like structure to a lesser dimension than the outside circumferential size of the rim, it is possible to achieve conditions wherein the cable-like structure (and thus the pool cover integrated therewith) cannot readily be removed from about the pool. Moreover, since the size of the cable-like structure is elfected by operation of the wind-up device, by providing appropriate means for locking the wind-up device in any particular position of rotation it is possible to exercise control over the size of the cable-like structure.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pool having a pool cover demonstrating features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing structural details of the locking mechanism for said pool cover, portions of the rim of the pool being broken away to better illustrate the relative positions of the rim and of said locking mechanism;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view, in section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, illustrating further structural details of the pool cover locking mechanism;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, in section taken on line 44 of FIG. 2, showing still further details of the locking mechanism; and

FIG. 5 is a partial plan view of the locking mechanism similar to the view thereof in FIG. 2, but on an enlarged scale and illustrating the locked condition thereof.

Reference is made to the drawings wherein there is shown a so-called above ground pool 10 in a popular circular shape. The pool 10 may of course have other shapes and includes a base (not shown) having an up standing side wall 12 terminating in an open top 14 bounded by a rim construction 16. Disposed over the open top 14 is a pool cover 20 demonstrating features of the present invention. The pool cover 20, as will be explained in greater detail herein, once fitted over the pool 10 can be secured thereon under lock and key, thus preventing tampering with the pool and providing a practical way to close the pool for the day when swimming time is over.

The pool cover 20 includes a cover body 22 fabricated of an appropriate mesh material provided with a central material gathering draw-string arrangement 23 and having an annular marginal area 24 secured about said cover body. Circumferentially spaced about the marginal area 24 are eyelets 26 which serve as a convenient anchoring construction for plural rim-engaging means for the pool cover 2!), which means are preferably in the form of hooks 28. The hooks 28 for uniformity sake are identically constructed and, as best seen in FIG. 3, each hook 28 includes a rod-like body 28a terminating in a curved end 281) which is accommodated in the eyelet 26. The medial portion of the body 28a has a. hook-like configuration which has a curvature C enabling the hook 28 to accommodate itself about the generally circular shape of the rim construction 16. Each hook .28 at a free end 2811 terminates in a curved eyelet construction 28c. As is clearly seen in FIG. 3, the eyelets 28c occupy a position beneath the rim construction 16 and adjacent the outer surface of the side wall 12. In this position, the hooks 28 can not be disengaged from the rim construction 16 unless the free ends 28b thereof having the eyelets 280 are drawn away from the side wall 12 in the direction of the arrow A and lifted up and over the pool rim construction 16.

In accordance with the present invention a locking mechanism for the pool cover 20 includes the hooks 28 having the eyelets 28c and the use of such eyelets to support a cable-like structure 30 which is threaded about the pool 10 through each of the hook eyelets 28c and has its ends appropriately connected to a Wind-up device 32. The structure 30 may include cable, heavy guage wire, rope or other such appropriate materials. The wind-up device 32 includes a rectangular body 34 having openings 36 at opposite ends for threading the cable 30 to a crank 38 appropriately journaled for rotation in the body 34. A handle 38a is formed on an accessible end of the crank 38 and in turn has an eyelet construction 38b on the free end thereof. As best shown in FIG. 5, the shackle 40 of a padlock 42 is adapted to simultaneously engage the eyelet 38b and the cable 30 to lock the crank 38 against rotation. This, in turn, in an obvious manner, maintains the cable 30 at whatever length it then has as a result of being wound upon the crank 38 at the time the crank is secured in place by the padlock 42. Thus, by shortening the length of the cable 30 to a lesser extent than the ouside dimension of the rim construction 16 and locking the crank 38 against rotation by the padlock 42, conditions are achieved whereby the pool cover 20 hereof cannot be removed from about the open top of the pool 10. Moreover, this securement of the pool cover 20 on the pool is obtained without unduly subjecting the side wall 12 of the pool to a crushing pressure applied against it by the cable 30.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner over the pool rim construction 16.

Although the invention has been described herein with specific reference to covers for pools, it is not intended to be limited strictly to providing protection for this type of product. Protective covers according to the present invention are also useful for boats and similar comparatively large and valuable objects. Such objects often benefit from being covered with tarpaulin, and such coverings for these objects, in turn, may advantageously be provided the locking mechanism of the present invention. In other respects as well, a latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective cover for a pool comprising a cover body, a marginal area on said cover body disposed about said pool, a cable-like structure supported from said cover body marginal area and a cable-length control means including a rotatable crank operatively connected to said cable-like structure for tightening the same about said pool to secure said cover body against removal from the pool.

2. A protective cover as defined in claim 1 including a lock for securing said crank in a particular position of rotation for maintaining a corresponding length in said cable-like structure which secures said cover body against removal from the pool.

3. A pool cover for a pool having a rim with a predetermined extent bounding an open top comprising a cover body adapted to be disposed over said open top, plural rim-engaging means mounted about the margins of said cover body and each having a free end extending beyond and to the remote side of said rim, a cable-like structure of variable length supported by said rim-engaging means on said remote side of said rim, and a cablelength control means operatively connected to said cablelike structure for shortening the same to a lesser extent than said rim to thereby secure said pool cover about said open top of the pool.

4. A pool cover as defined in claim 3 wherein said rim-engaging means is preferably a structure formed into a hook configuration and having an eyelet formed on the free end of said hook configuration and said cable-like structure is supported by said eyelets by being threaded therethrough.

5. A pool cover as defined in claim 4 wherein said cable-length control means includes a rotatable element having an operative connection to said cable-like structure and which, when rotated, is effective to draw-up or pay-out said cable-like structure depending upon the direction of rotation thereof.

6. A pool cover as defined in claim 5 wherein said cable-length control means includes a handle connected to said rotatable element for turning the same through rotation, said handle having an eyelet formed thereon which, in practice, is adapted to be engaged by a locking mechanism for holding said handle against rotation and thereby maintaining a fixed length in said cable-like structure.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 153,265 7/1874 Miller 292-256.65 2,233,518 3/1941 Coyle 292256.65 2,747,739 5/1956 Bissonnette et al. 292256.65 3,127,051 3/1964 COX 292-256.65 3,148,383 9/1964 Bortolucci et al 4172 SAMUEL ROTHBERG, Primary Examiner.

H. ARTIS, Examiner. 

1. A PROTECTIVE COVER FOR A POOL COMPRISING A COVER BODY, A MARGINAL AREA ON SAID COVER BODY DISPOSED ABOUT SAID POOL, A CABLE-LIKE STRUCTURE SUPPORTED FROM SAID COVER BODY MARGINAL AREA AND A CABLE-LENGTH CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLE CRANK OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CABLE-LIKE STRUCTURE FOR TIGHTENING THE SAME ABOUT SAID POOL TO SECURE SAID COVER BODY AGAINST REMOVAL FROM THE POOL. 